Companies get cash boost to aid investment and job levels

Eight companies in Heywood have received a funding boost to help them tackle future challenges with confidence. The council has awarded £65,000 worth of grants to 35 firms across the borough to help them cope in the tough financial climate.

Eight companies in Heywood have received a funding boost to help them tackle future challenges with confidence.

The council has awarded £65,000 worth of grants to 35 firms across the borough to help them cope in the tough financial climate.

And, of those, around £14,800 is being shared by applicants from Heywood.

The money has been supplied by the council’s business support budget and prospective companies were asked to develop an action plan outlining what the money would be used for and how it would benefit their business.

Once the plan had been agreed with a recognised business adviser, such as Business Link or Groundwork Oldham and Rochdale, the firms could then submit their application.

Coun Peter Williams, the council’s cabinet member for corporate management and economic regeneration, said: "I’m delighted that we’ve been able to support so many businesses in Heywood.

"Businesses are operating in a really challenging environment at the moment and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get any easier in the near future, so it’s vital that we help them as much as possible."

The average grant awarded was £2,000 and one of Heywood’s beneficiaries was GJD Manufacturing on Whittle Lane, which manufactures a range of outdoor electronic security detectors, CCTV and security light controllers.

The firm applied for a grant to research and develop two new products which will creating two jobs and will be to showcased at a trade show in Birmingham this May.

"It means that we could commit to designing and making the prototype to enable us to prove and demonstrate a potentially ground-breaking rapid deployment surveillance product," he added.

The town’s other beneficiaries include Adelaide Engineering Co Ltd, Cartwheel Arts, John Bradley and Son (Springs) Ltd, Nobel Fire Systems Ltd, PEARLS Resources and Supplies Co-op, Precision Components and Equipment and York House Surgery.